Synonyms of before

before 1 of 2

preposition

1

as in to

earlier than

since I'm a faster runner, I got there before him

Synonyms & Similar Words

• to
• until
• till
• of
• prior to
• previous to
• ere
• in advance of
• 'fore
• ahead of
• afore
• fore
• up to

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• after
• following
• since
• next
• next to

2

as in against

preceding in space

the children always insisted on running before their parents

Synonyms & Similar Words

• against
• in front of
• ahead of
• 'fore
• afore
• in advance of
• fore

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• after
• following

before

2 of 2

adverb

bi-ˈfȯr 

as in earlier

so as to precede something in order of time

their arrival was completely expected because a messenger had gone before

Synonyms & Similar Words

• earlier
• ahead
• already
• early
• previously
• beforehand
• now
• afore
• shortly
• preliminarily
• soon
• first
• anteriorly
• in advance
• formerly
• antecedently
• prematurely
• before long
• first off
• a priori
• presently
• erelong

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• later
• afterwards
• afterward
• after
• subsequently
• next
• behind
• by and by

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of before

Preposition

Most travelers opt to take a boat to the Sirena entrance of the park from nearby Puerto Jiménez, then hike for two days and one night to La Leona, before driving back to town. —AFAR Media, 11 July 2025

And all of this occurs before considering golf’s competitive aspect or the ability to gamble during play. —Tim Corlett, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025

Asked about the impact of the federal cuts on the flooding, Trump on Sunday seemed ready to blame the former president for the situation, before walking it back. —Benjamin Siegel, ABC News, 11 July 2025

The 30-year-old, who was born in a refugee camp in Syria before going on to graduate from Columbia, had played a prominent role negotiating on behalf of pro-Palestinian protesters at the university. —Hira Humayun, CNN Money, 11 July 2025

Phrases Containing before

• before long